Re: Picton-Mittagong Loop Line Re-opens?

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

In article <sz936.47$H21.4906@ozemail.com.au>,
David Bennetts <davibenn@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
>Just breezing through CityRail's website, under station facilities, I am
>informed that Balmoral, Buxton and Hilltop are on the Southern Highlands
>Line.  Whilst each of these stations is shown to have minimal facilities
>(not even a ticket machine that doesn't work), each is "attended by station
>staff".    Surely CityRail wouldn't provide staff at these major hubs of
>activity if there were no train service?

 They don't even provide stations !. The RTM built the current Buxton
platform. There are no buildings on site. There is however a shop over
the road!.

 Balmoral station doesn't exist. I have never spotted where it might have
been. The station master's cottage still exists and is occupied by a retired
railway man.
 As far as Im aware the RTM intends to build a perway siding there at some
point but not a station. Some local residents objected to the idea of a 
station, so it was skipped, after all there isn't much at Balmoral. No
platform, no buildings.. Wonder if the retired fettler counts ? :-)

 Hilltop still has a platform, but partially demolished. The Station Master's
cottage is occupied by a retired railway ganger and museum member. A loop is
partially rebuilt at Hilltop. 

 I understand the current Perway plan is to rebuild to operations level
Buxton to Hill Top and re-open that section for tourist trains and then
work onwards to ColoVale, which still has a complete station, now under the
care of the local historical society.

 Now if Cityrail are advertisting stations at these locations maybe the RTM
should take a 'truth in advertisting case' out against cityrail and force
them to provide the advertised faculities. :-)